33 Proposals: Arc x Yucie
by Veritas Found
Summary: Puchi Puri or Petite Princess Yucie. Official. Indefinitley postponed. Glimpses into the lives of Arc and Yucie, following the 33 Proposals theme table.
1. Happily Ever After

**Title:** "Happily Ever After"

**Author:** Wish Wielder

**Fandom:** Puchi Puri Yucie

**Claim / Pairing / Character Focus:** Arc/Yucie

**Challenge:** 33 Proposals

**Theme / Prompt:** #28 (I don't think life is quite that simple.)

**Word Count:** 2,819

**Rating:** T-M / PG-13

**Summary:** Happy ever afters are simple, right? Somehow he just couldn't believe that anymore.

**Notes:** This is a what-if fic, in which Yucie regained her memories but not her friends. That's about all the warning you need. Along with one for some mature themes.

**Disclaimer:** "Puchi Puri Yucie" and all respective properties are © Takami Akai. Meg D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Puchi Puri Yucie".

"_**Happily Ever After"**_

He would never forget this day, no matter how old he lived to be. Even if every other memory of his youth faded, he would never forget this one day, this one moment, this one feeling. He would never let it go, because to do so would be to let her go. And that was something he refused to ever do.

"Arc? Wh-what are you looking at?"

He smiled at her question, not minding in the least that she had caught him staring. She was gorgeous, even in her simple crimson tunic and brown slacks. Her long hair - straight, despite how much she wished it curled - was tied back with a red elastic, but that lone curl still hung over that forehead he loved so much. He walked over to her and put his hands on her waist, lifting her up off the stump she stood upon and placing her before him. His hands didn't move; he didn't want to release her just yet.

"You," he said, and that lovely pink stained her cheeks, just as he knew it would. It wasn't as bright or severe as it used to be, now that she was used to his forward affections, but it was still there. Some things, he had realized a long time ago, would truly never change.

"I-it's rude to stare, y'know," she said, looking down to avoid his gaze and trying her best to look indignant - but in the end, the best look she could manage was flustered.

"But I wasn't staring," he said, pulling her closer. She looked up with her eyes alone, a frown turning her lips.

"You weren't?" she asked, unconvinced. He leaned down, kissing her long and slow and sweet, before pulling back barely a breath away from her face. Her eyes were wide and shy, shocked at his almost forceful actions.

"I was admiring," he said. Her frown deepened, and he grinned. "What did I say now?"

"N-nothing, just…admiring _what?_" she asked, voice wary. He laughed at this, and he pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Isn't it obvious, Princess?" he asked, whispering to her ear. He saw her, out of the corner of his eye, turn as red as an octopus as she glanced at him. She shook her head slightly, and he kissed her cheek.

"You," he said. "You're beautiful, Yucie."

"St-stop teasing!" she said, looking away, and it was his turn to shake his head.

"Not teasing," he said, pulling back just enough to look at her. "I mean every word."

"Arc…" she whispered, looking up at him, and he grinned.

"Hey, Forehead…" he started, and she blinked.

"Yeah?" she asked, and he took a breath before continuing.

"A year ago, you asked me something…" he started, and she frowned.

"To wait for me, yeah," she said, her frown turning up suddenly. "And you did."

"Yeah, I did," he said, smiling slightly at that, "but…it wasn't just because you asked. You know that, right?"

"Huh?" she asked, blinking again as the smile vanished. He pushed her back a bit, keeping her hands in a comforting grip between them. "Arc, what's going on? Why do you look like your dog just died?"

"Do I?" he asked, looking up at her in surprise. She frowned and nodded.

"Well, yeah," she said, and he shook his head.

"No, nobody died," he said. "I…I have to ask you something."

"Ok," she said, and he shook his head.

"Stop talking - please? I'm having enough trouble here…" he said, and he winced at her hurt look. He could tell she had some kind of reply to that, but she bit it back. He looked up at her, and for a moment he swore a chill raced down his spine at the look in her eyes. Or maybe, just maybe, it was just her eyes.

"Yucie, I…I love you. You know that, right?" he asked, and after rolling her eyes she nodded. Again, there was the sign of a comment she was forcing back. "I can't imagine never having another day like this, just with you. Not even on some forest picnic - just with you. You've got me transfixed under some kind of spell or something - you -"

"Arc, as much as I love the flattery…your point?" she asked, and he laughed. She blushed and looked down, mumbling about how he had been rambling.

"My point is, I've waited for you. For a year and longer," he said, and he tilted her chin up to look him in the eye. "And I don't think I can wait any more, Yucie. Marry me."

"Wh-what?!" she gasped, eyes shooting open, and he laughed.

"You can't tell me this surprised you that much," he said, though she didn't reply right away. She just looked at him, and if it was even possible, her eyes seemed to grow larger as he held up his mother's engagement ring. "It's yours, Yucie. I'm yours. Please, say you'll marry me."

"Arc…" she breathed, and she stopped gawking as a smile that reached her tear-filled eyes split her face. "You…you idiot!"

Any doubt at the insult vanished as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing.

"Yu-"

"You're such an idiot, Arc!" she said, and she pulled away to smile up at him. "Fool. Of course I'll marry you."

He said nothing, just wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, and he reached behind him to slip the ring on her finger. Her laughter broke the kiss, and he grinned as she raised her arm to get a look at her hand. Her smile widened, a gasp slipping out as she saw the ring shining in the autumn sun.

"Arc, it's beautiful!" she said. He shook his head, kissing her again.

"No," he said. "You are. I love you, Yucie."

She smiled, once again wrapping her arms 'round his neck in a hug. She laid her head on his chest, sighing contentedly as he pulled her closer. Her eyes slipped closed as she whispered to him, "I love you, too, Arc. I love you, too."

-W-

But life is never that simple, is it?

You can't spend an incredible afternoon in a forest clearing by a stream, laughing and talking as you share a picnic lunch. You can't hold the woman you love and kiss her and tell her you love her, or propose and expect her to say yes. You can't be happy. You can't have "happily ever after".

When she's before you - a rope tied crudely about her pale neck, dangling from the ceiling of an empty classroom in the Princess Academy - you can't be forever.

He didn't want to see her like this. He didn't want to stand there, staring at her dead body like he was. He didn't want to feel like he shouldn't be surprised.

He loved her either way, but this wasn't the Yucie he remembered - the one he first met, the one that had first captured his heart. That Yucie was always laughing and smiling. That Yucie was snippy when agitated and gentle when caring. That Yucie was always bashful around him, as if she was afraid the slightest thing she did or said could make him love her less. That Yucie was always surrounded by friends, people who cared about her no matter what. That Yucie was a princess long before any tiara deemed her so. That Yucie was full of life.

That Yucie was not the Yucie he had seen struggle through life this past year, and maybe that was why this didn't surprise him nearly as much as it should. That Yucie had died the day they entered the Magical World. That Yucie was dead the moment the seal had broken. The moment the Great Magician looked at her and told her she was better off not knowing.

"_Remembering isn't going to change anything - you'll just suffer more as a result…"_

Yucie had died the moment Magazerent had told her that her friends would never come back.

And she had screamed. She had screamed and shouted and cried until she was hoarse, but in the end it had done no good. Magazerent returned them to the Human World, and he had sat with her on the cold ground of the gardens as she crumbled against him, crying for so many hours. And when she had finally calmed - when she had finally torn herself away from him to look around her and realize her surroundings - she had seen them, the fathers and stewards of her friends, and the fragments that were his Yucie broke all the more.

He hadn't seen her for months after that day, though it wasn't because he didn't try. When she refused to leave her home, he would sit outside her door, talking to her through the wooden frame. Apologizing. Pleading. Talking. Anything that he thought would get her to come out, to come back to him.

"_I'm so sorry, Yucie. I thought…if I had known they wouldn't be returned, I never would have taken you…"_

"_Please, Yucie, don't remember them like this. They wouldn't want you to live this way! They wouldn't want you to feel this pain!"_

"_Gaga and the Demon King came by yesterday. They were asking about you, Forehead. The king…he wants you to know he doesn't blame you. None of us do."_

And when she had finally opened that door, he had almost wished she hadn't. Fully-grown but a ghost, she looked nothing like the vision he had seen the night of the ball. She looked nothing like a person at all, but as much as it tore him to see her in such a state he had wrapped his arms around her, crushing her limp frame to his chest. It was hazy now, but he remembered crying. Crying in joy to see her out of her room, and in sadness to see the wraith she had withered away to.

It had been like that ever since that day. She was always there and not there. She was Yucie, and every now and then a spark would light in her eyes and she would say something that showed life, but those times were rare. She drifted through life a pale reflection of her former self, rarely talking and almost always crying.

She had told him, one day around a month before, to move on. She had told him to leave her, that he owed her nothing and should no longer have to wait for a murderer like her. When she said it, it took everything he had to keep from slapping her. He had grabbed her shoulders, shaking her furiously enough to cause that spark to light in her muted eyes.

"_Will you wake up?! Stop talking about yourself like that - you are not a murderer! Damn it, Yucie, stop being so stupid! You didn't kill them - they chose to give their lives to keep the worlds safe! And don't ever tell me that I owe you nothing. Ever! I love you, whether you want me to or not, and I will not leave you to waste away like no one cares!"_

And then he had kissed her, throwing all of his frustration and longing and love into that single gesture, and for a moment she had come back. For a moment, she had started to lean into him, her hands hovering at the elbows of the arms whose hands held her face, but then she was gone, stepping back and watching him with those blank, dead eyes.

"_Don't."_

And she had left, leaving him to watch her go. Leaving him to find her like this, after weeks of once again hiding in her room. Leaving him to find her body finally reflecting the mentality she had lived for a year.

And as much as he wanted to hate her for it, he couldn't. As much as he wanted to scream and yell and curse her for leaving him, he couldn't. All he could see was the smile on her face - the peaceful, serene smile that only Yucie could make. And without really thinking, he stepped towards her, letting the door creak shut behind him. He walked to her, putting a hand on her pale face while the other reached up to entwine with stiff fingers and press against a limp palm.

But before the question could leave him, before he could bring himself to ask, he saw her. There, in the late afternoon sunlight that streamed in through a glossy window, she was standing - and she wasn't alone.

She was laughing, practically dancing as she fell on the other four women with happy shouts and joyful hugs. And they smiled back, laughing and crying as they welcomed her, each a grown woman - each a shimmer of what should have been, had the Eternal Tiara never been formed.

He found himself stepping back, a part of him unable to believe what he was seeing. But then they froze, as if his movement had alerted them to his presence, and before he could protest all but one was gone.

Kokoru.

"Mr. Arc…" she whispered, her voice ethereal yet worried. His eyes widened, shocked for a moment that he could actually hear her. Was this real? No…it couldn't be. Impossible!

But…wasn't a woman trapped in a ten-year-old's body impossible, as well?

"K-Kokoru…" he breathed, and she smiled at him. Sad and melancholy, a look he had seen her wear too many times. "H-how…what…"

"She wants you to know something, Mr. Arc," Kokoru said, her eyes shifting to a determined, grieved stare. He faltered, looking from the…the what, ghost? Spirit? No…looking from Kokoru to Yucie, or the body that was Yucie, and back to Kokoru.

"Yes," Kokoru said, nodding, and she smiled at him. "Yucie wants you to know that it wasn't your fault."

Suddenly, he couldn't be scared. All he could do was smile, unafraid - happy, even - in the face of impossible.

"And why does she think I blame myself?" he asked, and Kokoru's look changed from grieved to confused.

"P…pardon?" she asked, and he smiled.

"She's happy now," he said, and he knew she understood. She glanced to her side for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, she is," she said. "She's sorry, though. She says she didn't mean to put you through any of this. She didn't mean to hurt you like this, but…what? Oh…she…she says she told you to leave. That she wanted to stop you from -"

"From what? From being hurt?" he asked, laughing slightly - but it wasn't cruel. His laugh was resigned, accepting. Never cruel. "She could never stop that, just like she could never convince me to leave her. I love her. You know I do, Kokoru."

"Can you feel her?" she asked, and she smiled as his eyes widened. Around him, against him, he felt her, arms wrapped 'bout him and cheek pressed to his chest. A ghostly touch, barely noticeable, but still identifiable. Or maybe it was just his mind wanting more impossible. He started to believe the former, when he hovered a hand over where her head would have rested and Kokoru nodded.

"She's sorry she made you wait for nothing," Kokoru said, but he shook his head.

"I told you, Kokoru," he said, looking down at the air between his hand and chest, "Yucie…I love you. Even if you had said you hated me, I would have waited, forever if need be. And I'll still wait, even if I can only be with you in an afterlife."

With that she was gone, and he looked back to Kokoru in confusion.

"We have to go now, Mr. Arc," she said, bowing at him. She paused as she turned, looking down to avoid seeing him. "I'm sorry."

He couldn't reply before they were gone, and he was left alone in a room with a corpse. Yucie? Yes and no. Her body, but he knew it wasn't her. He looked back to the window, smiling slightly as his hand slid over the silver ring in his pocket.

Forever, if he had to. He would wait forever, even if all it brought him was the tiniest moment with her in the life beyond.

He turned to leave, pausing as he opened the door to give the window a final look. The quickest flash, just long enough to see her smile, and then she was gone.

Life isn't simple, but even if he could never have the happy ending he so desperately wanted, he knew. He would rather live a thousand lives, each one with the same ending of finding her hung in an empty classroom, than live one where he had never met her.

And maybe, just maybe, that was ok.

**A.n.:**_ Oooh boy…this makes three times I've killed her. You guys are gonna kill me, aren't you?_

_Not your conventional idea for a proposal, but I once I had the idea I couldn't let it go. Now, I know Yucie's not the kind of girl to go suicidal, and I'm fairly sure that if the other candidates hadn't been returned Yucie would have lived her life to the fullest to honor their memories, but a part of me - the part that loves the dramatically depressing - can't help but wonder what would happen if she couldn't get past it._


	2. Forget About It

**Title:** "Forget About It"

**Author:** Wish Wielder

**Fandom:** Puchi Puri Yucie

**Claim / Pairing / Character Focus:** Arc/Yucie // Cube/Yucie

**Challenge:** 33 Proposals

**Theme / Prompt:** #01 (Witnessed by the Ex)

**Word Count: **3,856

**Rating:** T / PG

**Summary:** He had never told her how he felt, and now he fears it might just be too late.

**Notes:** Post-series; Arc/Yucie with Cucie elements.

**Disclaimer:** "Puchi Puri Yucie" and all respective properties are © Takami Akai. Meg D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Puchi Puri Yucie".

"_**Forget About It"**_

"_Lady Yucie?"_

_The girl's steward lingered at the door to her room, frowning as he saw her jump. She rubbed at her eyes, offering a hasty greeting before asking what he wanted. He stepped over the threshold and closed the door, though he didn't go any closer._

"_What happened, Lady Yucie?" he asked. She blinked and gave him that smile, the one that said she had no idea what he was talking about. The one that made it seem like she was fine. He gave her a look of his own, one that told her she could never fool him. "Fourteen years I've been your steward and friend, Lady Yucie - you can't trick me that easily."_

"_I suppose not," she said. She turned to face him, hanging her legs over the edge of her window seat. She studied her feet, smiling sadly as she wiggled her toes._

"_Hey, Cube…" she asked, and he jumped._

"_Y-yes?"_

"_Are you like me?" she asked, and his eyes widened._

"_What?" he asked._

"_Ever since I've known you you've looked the same," she said. "You don't grow, Cube."_

"_But that's by my choice, Lady Yucie," he said, and she frowned._

"_Why? Don't you ever wonder what it would be like to be an adult? Don't you ever miss people treating you like your age?" she asked._

"_No, Lady Yucie, I don't," he said. He walked over to her and took her hands in his own. She looked up at him, and he smiled. "I don't mind looking like a child, and you shouldn't, either."_

"_But…I'm fourteen, Cube! Fourteen! And I still look like I'm ten…or younger," she said, looking down. "Boys are supposed to be noticing me now, and no one will ever think twice about courting 'the child', Why would they when they can have girls like Bree? Bree's right…no one's ever going to love me, and I'm never going to be able to thank the Prince, and -"_

"_Lady Yucie, stop it!" he said, and she looked at him to see a look of pure annoyance scrawled upon his face._

"_Cube?" she asked, and he groaned._

"_Lady Yucie, you're only fourteen! You don't need to worry about boys yet. And who knows? Maybe you're just a late bloomer - give it a little more time, and soon you'll be taller than Cleo and Bree combined," he said, grinning at her. She giggled and shook her head._

"_I don't think I want to be quite that tall," she said, and he laughed._

"_I suppose not," he said. "And you will get to thank the Prince someday, Lady Yucie. Bree's just jealous of that."_

"_You really think so, Cube?" she asked, and he nodded._

"_I'm sure of it," he said, smiling. He squeezed her hands, his look turning suddenly serious, yet that playful twinkle never left his eyes. "And if no one ever wants to court you, Lady Yucie, I will. I promise."_

_He smiled at her laugh, though he wasn't sure if he was offended or not. She leaned forward and hugged him, thanking him for the pep talk. He returned the gesture, but it was stiff - like his smile. He had only meant it to make her feel better; there would never be any need for him to make good on that promise. She would find someone, someday, and he would be somewhere in the background, cheering her on. Yeah. That's exactly what would happen._

He never would have thought a simple promise could grow to anything more. He just meant to comfort her, and in the end…

He had never looked at her the same after that. He paid more attention, noticing every subtle way she did change, even if her overall appearance remained that of a child. He noticed how her mind changed, and how her face slowly grew to reflect her years. He found himself wondering just what it would be like to court her, and soon after he found himself wanting to do just that.

But no, that could never happen - never. He was her steward. He was years older, and - even worse - he had helped raise her. He was a big brother, that was all.

Still, four years later he found himself in just the position he had sworn he would never land in. He loved Yucie, more than he could ever express - and the thought terrified him.

A thud at the front of the house and a giddy laugh reminded him of just why it would never be possible: Arc, the infamous Prince Aero.

He loved Yucie, and Yucie loved Arc. And Arc loved Yucie. He was caught in the middle, with a wealth of emotion simmering beneath the surface. Still, part of that love was wanting her to be happy, and she was happy with Arc. Couldn't that be good enough? A traitorous voice in the back of his mind snapped that it never would be, but he tried his best to silence it. It had to be.

"Is he here yet, Cube?" Yucie asked as she ran into the kitchen, and he sighed. He gave her a smile and shook his head.

"No, Lady Yucie, not yet," he said. She picked up a towel and stood next to him by the sink.

"Need any help, then?" she asked, and he smiled as he handed her a plate.

"Thanks, Lady Yucie," he said, and she laughed.

"Cube, please! How long have you been around? You should know you can just call me 'Yucie' by now," she said, and he smiled sheepishly.

"Force of habit, I guess," he muttered, and she laughed.

"I guess habits are hard to break - like me having to look down to talk to you now," she said, giggling. "I was so used to us being the same height, and now I'm so much taller than you! Can't you grow yet?"

"I…I like this height," he said, shrugging. She rolled her eyes and took the next dish from him.

"Well, I'm just glad I'm taller now," she said. "It's so much easier to get back at Arc for all that teasing when I'm not so much shorter than him. Apparently you can run faster with longer legs!"

"When is Mr. Arc supposed to get here, Lady Yucie?" he asked, ignoring the remark. She shrugged.

"He said around noon," she said. "I can't wait - he said he's got a big surprise!"

"A…a big surprise?" Cube asked, pausing in his dish-washing. She smiled and nodded.

"Yup! I can't wait to find out what it is...Gurenda thinks he's going to propose, but…I hope so, but I doubt it," she said. He sighed and handed her a cup.

Propose, huh? It would be the perfect fairy tale conclusion to their already fairy tale life. It was what was expected, after all; Arc, the prince, was supposed to sweep Yucie, the princess, off her feet in a bout of happily-ever-after wedded bliss. It's just how all the stories went, and why shouldn't Yucie have the same ending? The steward never got the princess; there was always a prince for her.

"I…I'm happy for you, Yucie," he said, and he jumped as she hugged him.

"Thank you, Cube," she said. "For everything you've ever done."

He bit his lip, the words almost spilling from his mouth. He shook his head and patted her shoulder. He pushed her away as a knock sounded on the front door, and he gave her a weak smile. He sighed and said, "It's my job, Yucie. As a steward and a friend." She smiled and nodded, bending down to kiss his cheek before she ran for the door.

"Bye, Cube!" she called, the door slamming shut behind her. He heard the laughter from the kitchen window, and moments later he saw them riding away on Arc's horse. He looked down at the soapy water and let the dish in his hand slide back into the suds. She would be gone soon, if he really was proposing. Then he could assume his normal appearance again. He had only opted to look like a child when Gunberd had brought her home; he thought it would be better if she could have someone who looked her own age around. Now, though, he was scared to go back to his adult self; it was so much harder to control his emotions in that full-grown form - if he had so many "almosts" in this one, how much worse would it be as an adult?

"You never will tell her, will you, Cube?"

He looked up to see Gunberd standing in the doorway, and he looked back to the water as he picked up the dish he had dropped. He bit his lip as he started to scrub it clean.

"I don't know what you mean, Sir," he said. Gunberd sighed and walked over to him, placing a calloused hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not blind, Cube," he said. "I know you love Yucie. Maybe as much as Arc, maybe more. I won't choose between you for her, but…she deserves to know, Cube. You owe her at least that much."

Cube looked at him, and the old hero gave him a slight smile. He turned to leave, turning back once more to say, "At least think about it. Please."

- W -

The sky seemed endless and impossible as Yucie watched it. Fluffy clouds bobbed along in a sea of calm, and for a moment Yucie wondered what it was like to be a cloud. She closed her eyes and breathed as a warm wind brushed over her, and - not for the first time, and certainly not the last - she was jealous of Erumina. If for only a moment, she wished she had wings. Riding on Gurenda's broom was always exhilarating, but some part of her knew wings had to be better.

She frowned as she felt a shadow pass over her face, though the frown curved into a smile when she opened her eyes to see Arc leaning over her. His lips twitched into a smirk as he brushed a stray hair away from her face.

"What's so interesting, hmm, Forehead?" he asked. She looked past his head and back to the sky, and she was once again lost in her reverie.

"Do you ever wonder what it's like to fly, Arc?" she asked. He chuckled and shook his head.

"No, not really. I already know what it's like, so I don't need to wonder," he said. She looked back at him, a brow raised slightly higher than the other.

"Oh, really?" she asked, grinning. He nodded and flopped onto his back beside her.

"Yeah," he said, looking up at the sky. He linked his fingers with hers and gave her hand a squeeze. "It feels the same as this, Yucie. It feels the same way as being with you."

She pushed herself up off the ground, turning to look at him. Her eyes softened as she whispered his name, and he looked at her with a smile. He brought her hand to his lips, gracing the smooth back with a kiss. She fell back beside him, cuddling against his side as he pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, Yucie," he said.

"I know, Arc," she said. "And this has been the best day ever."

"Really? It's not any different from any other day," he said, and she laughed.

"It feels better," she said. She looked up at him, her smile turning sly. "And I can't help but feel that something great's going to happen today."

"Must be you, Forehead, 'cause I don't feel it," he said, closing his eyes as he placed his spare arm behind his head. "Man, I'm beat."

"We haven't even done anything!" Yucie said, trying to sit up. His grip tightened, and he pulled her back down. "Arc, what are you -?"

"I'm taking a nap," he said, a cocky smirk curling his grin. She rolled her eyes and tried once more to sit, but he wouldn't have any of it. "Just relax, Yucie. It's beautiful out here - just enjoy it."

She relaxed against him, sighing as she nodded. He was right; it was a gorgeous day - she should just enjoy it. And if Gurenda was right about his "big surprise", she should enjoy it even more. Wasn't this supposed to be one of those days you remembered forever?

Before she knew it, her eyes had slid closed, and she had slipped into a gentle slumber. She wasn't sure how long she had been out, but when she was awakened the sky was dark. That could have been caused by the rain pounding against her skin, though - for all she knew, she had only been asleep twenty minutes.

"Arc!" she cried as she jumped up. He groaned and rolled over, turning his back to her. She let out a frustrated cry and slapped him, but he just shrugged her off. She threw up her hands and screamed before slamming her palms against the grass. "You are absolutely impossible!"

She looked around for a minute before spotting his cloak a short ways off, slung over his brown horse. A short trip later and the thick fabric was slung over her shoulders, blocking at least some of the rain. She knelt next to Arc and began shaking him again.

"C'mon, you jerk! Wake up!" she said. He rolled onto his stomach, groggily slapping her arm away. She bit her lip, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance. She gave him another shove, squeaking in surprise as he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her close to him. She began squirming, shouting at him to cut it out.

"Stop moving," he said, and she froze. Her head shot up and she glared at him, suddenly feeling a lot less than loving as she saw his twinkling aqua eyes staring back at her. They had that mischievous glint to them - the one they always got when he was planning something.

"You…you…you were awake this whole time?!" she screeched, and he grinned, just like the doofus she believed him to be.

"Yup," he said. She gawked at him, trying to form some kind of comeback that would justify the ire she felt. He just grinned at her, and after a few moments of staring at each other she dropped her head against his chest, biting back the giggles she felt building inside of her.

"It's just a little rain, Forehead," he said, chuckling at her. "You act like it's going to melt you."

"Maybe it will," she said, grinning, and he shook his head.

"You're crazy, Yucie," he said. She leaned up, giving him a quick kiss.

"That's why you love me," she said. She pushed herself up, smiling at him. "Now come on, Arc - we're going to get sick if we stay out in this."

He let her pull him up, sighing as he stood. He took his cloak from her and threw it over his shoulders; he pulled her against him, covering her as well as he led them to his horse. He smiled slightly as he glanced at her.

"You know…" he started, and she looked at him. "Keeping you dry in rainstorms was a lot easier when you weren't so tall."

"Yeah," she said as she hoisted herself onto the horse, "but you know you like me like this so much more."

"No, Yucie," he said, hopping up behind her. He covered her again, but he leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "I like you, child or adult. Being an adult just makes that liking easier."

She smiled, her cheeks turning a rosy hue. No more was said on the way back, though Yucie couldn't say she minded.

- W -

Cube winced as a bolt of lightning lit up the room. Thunder rumbled in the distance, adding to his worry; Yucie had been gone for a good two hours now, and the storm had taken up the past fifteen minutes of that time. It was only getting worse as time progressed, and he couldn't help but be concerned for Yucie and even Arc. He looked down at his tea and bit his lip.

It had been a nerve-wracking couple of hours to say the least. After finishing his chores - which helped to ease his mind a little - he had sat at the table with a cup of tea, where he had been for an hour now. He had been brooding over his talk with Gunberd for most of that hour, and right around when the rain had started he had made his decision.

Regardless of the outcome, he would tell her. As soon as she came through that door. He knew it was foolish - especially if Arc really was planning on proposing during their outing - but he had to. Gunberd was right: she deserved to know.

He jumped as the front door opened, and he looked over to see a laughing Yucie and Arc stumbling inside. They were both drenched, though neither seemed to mind. He ran over to them, his face a worried knot.

"Lady Yucie! Mr. Arc! What happened?" he asked, and Yucie grinned at him.

"Arc's an idiot," she said, and Arc frowned.

"Isn't that a bit harsh, Forehead?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"You kept us out in that storm, so I think it's a lot less than harsh," she said. Cube frowned and shook his head.

"I'll go heat up the tea," he said. Yucie turned to Arc and smiled.

"You're staying, right?" she asked. Before he could answer, she put her hand over his mouth and shook her head. "You're staying. I'm not letting you ride home in that mess, Arc. Even for you it would be dangerous."

He took her hand in his own, turning it to kiss the back. He nodded, placing their joined hands against his chest. When she started to speak again, he said, "I'm staying, Forehead. At least until the rain clears."

"Good," she said, and she turned to follow Cube into the kitchen. He tightened his grip on her hand, yanking her back to him.

"Hold up, Princess," he said, and she raised a brow at him. He bit his lip to hide the smile; that was a habit she had definitely picked up from him. He paused before continuing, taking a moment to just look at her. She looked a wreck from the rain, but somehow that only made her more beautiful.

"What?" she finally asked, and he laughed. Impatient as ever.

"I believe I said I had a surprise for you?" he asked, and her face lit up. He chuckled and pulled her closer, keeping their hands joined between them as he wrapped his spare arm about her waist.

"You might have," she said. He glanced at the wall, the teasing in his eyes mellowing into a peaceful calm. "Arc?"

"It's been almost two years since the abbey," he said. She started to question him again, but he shook his head. "Let me talk, ok? Two years since we met again. You've nearly gotten us killed more times than I can count in that span - reason enough to keep as far away from you as possible. But despite all that…I can't stay away."

"I got you out of those scraps, you know…" she said, frowning. He laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, you did, but that's not the point. The point is…Forehead - Yucie - I would rather have a near-death experience every single day then spend one minute away from you," he said. He brought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers. "I can't see tomorrow without you in it. So…I'm asking you now, now that nothing's keeping us apart…will you marry me, Yucie?"

Her eyes widened as a smile split her face. Cube, from his position in the doorway of the kitchen, knew that look - that look that said she was the happiest girl alive - but his hands still clenched the tea tray as his resolve strengthened.

"Lady Yucie!" he said, and they turned to look at him. He walked over to the table and put the tray down before going to her, and he bowed abruptly. He looked at her with a steeled gaze, and she frowned.

"Cube?" she asked, and he bit his lip.

"S-Sir Gunberd needs to see you upstairs - immediately!" he said as he grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs.

"Er…o-ok…I'll be right back!" she called back to Arc, who was looking at her with a lost kind of look. When they were upstairs, behind the closed doors of Cube's room, she finally looked at her steward. "Cube, what's all this about? I thought you said Papa needed to see me!"

"No, that's not…well, no," he said, stuttering nervously. She frowned and walked over to him, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Then what?" she asked, and he sighed.

"I…you can't marry him, Yucie!" Cube said, looking up at her. She paused, confusion marring her face.

"I…what?" she asked, and Cube sighed, looking down.

"You can't marry him," he said. She rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "A few years ago, you got into a fight in town, and you got worried that because of your curse no one would ever want to court you. And I told you -"

"You said you would…" she said quietly, her eyes widening as she remembered. He gulped and nodded.

"Yeah, and…I know it was a silly promise then, but I…I wan-" he started, but she shook her head.

"Don't," she said, stepping away from him. His face fell as he gulped.

"Yucie…" he started, unsure of how to say it to make her understand.

"No, Cube," she said, still shaking her head. "I…I'm going downstairs, and I'm saying yes to Arc. I love Arc, Cube. Arc! I…I'm sorry, but…you…just forget about it, Cube."

"Yucie…!" he started again, but she shook her head.

"Please, Cube," she said, looking down at him with teary eyes. "Forget you ever said it. Forget you ever lov…just forget."

She turned and left the room, and moments later he heard laughing from the front of the house. He looked at his hands, gulping slightly to try and breathe, hoping that would keep the room from spinning. He jumped and looked at the door to see Gunberd looking at him with a sad sort of smile. He tried to speak, to find something that could make it all seem better, but the old hero just shook his head.

"At least she knows," he said, and Cube looked down. She knew, but he was right back where he started - or worse. He opened his mouth, trying again to say something - anything - but Gunberd just shook his head.

"It will get better, Cube," he said, and Cube gave him a hopeless sort of look. "I…I cannot say when, but it will. It will."

**A.n.:** _Ok, let's just say it right now: this is the biggest load of crap I've ever spouted. I can't even find a relatively bright point in it (and I know, the ending is waaaay too rushed), and the only reason I'm even posting it is because I promised a friend I'd write some Cucie and I need to meet my deadline. But if I had more time, I would scrap it and totally rewrite it. I wanted to do this theme involving Puck, but I may just use that idea around a Kiss. Either way - this is bad, and you don't even have to pretend to like it._

_Even more confusing was my playlist for this. Seriously - usually, my music has to match what I'm writing. Either in mood or lyric, but usually both. This time my playlist was (no lie): "Words I Couldn't Say" - Rascal Flatts, "What I Really Meant To Say" - Cyndi Thompson, "Perfectly" - Huckapoo, "Last Cigarette" - Bon Jovi (which for some odd reason now seems like a perfect Cucie song for me…), "Part of My Heart" - Jim Brickman, "Dear Mr. President" & "Who Knew" - Pink, "Don't Write Me Off" - Hugh Grant, and "Flowers" - Brad Paisley. I can get the first two, but after that it just seemed to…well, how "Flowers" relates to this is beyond me. ("Stop the senseless killing - can't you hear those roses cry?" - Seriously, how does that reflect this drabble?)_

_Guh…but I guess this just goes to show how wonderfully horrible I am at venturing away from my OTPs. I honestly don't support Cucie. I see Cube more as an older brother, and while there are some scenes that suggest he might have a crush on her (the mermaid scene…) I don't find them frequent enough to believe it. And I'm really firm in the Arc/Yucie pairing, so that made it even harder._

_I may try to write a better Cucie someday, but after this I'm really scared to even try it again. I was going to do an alternate ending bit where Yucie finds Cube at his favorite bar and tells him she actually loves him, but I've just lost all inspiration for it. And I really wanted to write in a scene with Cube and Late Night Bird-Eggs! Dx_

_Long in short: I'm sorry. I've learned my lesson._


	3. Pages

**Title:** "Pages"

**Author:** Wish Wielder

**Fandom:** Puchi Puri Yucie

**Pairing / Character Focus:** Arc / Yucie

**Challenge:** 33 Proposals

**Theme / Prompt:** #12 (Airport)

**Word Count:** 6,963

**Rating:** K/ PG

**Summary:** Because really, she needed to know the ending. Even if this Yucie girl was long gone, something told Ellie that – if Yucie got a happy ending – she would, too.

**Notes:** Set in both modern-day (well, a tweaked modern-day, if you will – gotta allow room for the other Worlds, after all!) England and the Erlsel of Yucie's time (which I totally think could pass as 18th-century England, or 'round bouts). Just wanted to do some experimenting. ) Also: sentences that seem to be cut-off in the diary entries **are** intentional; no text is missing.

**Disclaimer:** "Puchi Puri Yucie" and all respective properties are © Takami Akai. Megan D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Puchi Puri Yucie".

"_**Pages"**_

Ellie Swift hadn't spoken to her mother in four weeks. It had been exactly four weeks since her mother had told her they were leaving their home in London, England for Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States. Four weeks since her mother had eagerly ripped her heart from her chest and stamped it into the ground with the pinpoint heels of her stiletto shoes, all with the biggest smile she could muster on her face.

"It's a great opportunity, El! And you'll love it in Pennsylvania – I always did! Oh, the trees, the people – it's _wonderful_!" her mother had said. Ellie didn't feel wonderful. In fact, she felt the farthest from wonderful that she ever had her whole life.

"Then you move there and leave me with Gran," she had shot bitterly, and that was the last thing she had said to her. She had holed up in her room, refusing to help pack or really have anything to do with the woman. (But, of course, that didn't keep her from packing the room up while she was at school, did it?)

If it had been any other time in her life, she probably would have been glad to go. As it was, she was happy. She was nearing sixteen and attending a great high school, she had an amazing boyfriend that she had been seeing for three months now, and all of her friends were here. A trip to the States would be lovely, but that's all she was interested in – a trip. She didn't want to move there. She was number one in her class and looking to attend Oxford in two years – what would happen to those plans if she was stuck in some Podunk town in Pennsylvania?

"Oh, there are wonderful colleges in Pennsylvania, dear! The state uni is very wonderful from what I've heard," her mother had replied when she had given that argument. She was coming to hate the word 'wonderful' very much these days.

It had been another attempt to flee her exuberant mother that had led her up here, to the attic of their old home. It dated back centuries – her father had once told her, before he died, that it was his family's summer home, back from the time when their royal title was still recognized. She smiled as she closed the old door behind her, the memory of her father warming her heart just a little.

And wasn't that also important? Didn't her mother care that he was buried here, in a churchyard just a few blocks away? Didn't she care that she'd be ripping her away from everything that tied her to her heritage?

She sat on an old box and sighed, coughing slightly as a puff of dust shot up from the cardboard. She frowned as she felt something poke her, and she stood momentarily to fish the cornered object out. Her frown only deepened when she saw that it was an old, weathered book. She sat back down on the box and turned it over in her hands, awestruck by the red, leather cover and intricate gold designs. She flipped it open to see pages that had been yellowed with time, and her surprise only increased as she saw the flowing script on the first page.

_Yucie, daughter of the hero Gunberd_

_Platina Princess_

_Do not, under any circumstances read – and that means you, Arc!_

She laughed at the note, still mystified by the discovery. She flipped through the book quickly, smiling as she realized that it was this Yucie's diary. Thrilled by the prospect of a connection to her past (and she could already tell it was a distant past, as the original owner had claimed to be the 'Platina Princess', whatever that was), and finding she had nothing better to do, she moved over to the window seat and settled down for a nice long read.

She turned back to the first page, and her eyes soared open again. Where the page before had been written with a light-hearted, carefree script, this page was filled with jagged letters and blotchy stains that reminded her of tears. Intrigued, she began to scan the text.

_I find it horribly cruel that my previous diary should run out of pages yesterday, causing me to start this new one on the exact day my life has fallen apart._

_No, no – the others are still here. Perhaps this isn't as bad as the Princess Selection, since no one's dying this time, but I still feel like it could be, and that they might as well. So perhaps I should just say that this is the second time my life has fallen apart, or at least the closest it could get to falling apart again._

_Queen Erlsel approached me today about some diplomatic business. Normally Arc is the one who handles these things (it's his job as prince, after all), but this time she said she needed me for the job. I hate to admit that I actually felt honored – until she told me what I had to do._

_I'm leaving. I'm going to a country so very far away, and I'm probably never going to return. I won't ever see Arc again, and I won't see my friends, and I won't see Papa or Cube or Drago-sama or_

_No, no – I'm getting ahead of myself. She just brought it up today – nothing can be final yet, right? I can talk to Arc about it tomorrow, and we'll figure this out. He won't let me leave – how could he? But I can't quiet that tiny fear gnawing at my heart, the one that says nothing will ever be ok again._

Ellie nearly dropped the book as she finished reading. She wasn't one to believe in fate, but if that wasn't what this was then what could it be? There was no better term for it, other than 'just plain freaky'. She suddenly attacked the book with a new vigor, hoping that in its pages she could find the answers to her own separation questions that she so desperately needed.

The next page was just as jagged and blotchy as the first, and something told Ellie that things hadn't gone well during Yucie's talk with this Arc fellow she kept mentioning.

"_You need to realize," he told me, "that life as royalty isn't always sunshine and flowers. We're the ones in control, and so we make the tough choices. We sacrifice of ourselves so that the rest of the world can function properly because no one else wants to make the decisions we have to."_

_That's all he said._

_He came this afternoon, hoping to take me out on a picnic, but as soon as I saw him I started crying again. And when I finally told him what was so terribly wrong, he changed. It wasn't Arc sitting next to me, holding me as I wept, but Prince Aero, the stoic royal whom I hate so very much right now. He seemed to shrink away from me as that stupid mask went on, and he spoke with a voice so devoid of emotion I can call it nothing other than cold._

_He talked to me like he talked to those flighty noblewomen that always try to separate us at the balls and functions. He's never talked to me like that before._

_And why? Can't he see how this is killing me? Can't he see how much I love him, and how much I want to stay? Doesn't he realize how much I hate all of this – how much I hate him for just letting it all happen?_

_I don't know what's going to happen anymore. Life used to be so constant and sure, once we got the others back. Everything was going perfectly, and then this happens. All I really know right now is that I don't know anything, and that thought scares me to death._

She jumped as the door opened, and she looked up to see her mother standing there with the phone. She was smiling, but Ellie could tell it was strained.

"Gran wants you to come visit tomorrow," she said. She continued on without giving her a chance to say anything (and really, that was just infuriating; what if she had plans? Her mother never thought anymore!). "I want you to have your room packed up by tomorrow. I've already got the boxes and tape and paper and anything else you'd need, so now it's just you putting it together.

"We're leaving in two weeks, El," she said, and Ellie looked back down at the journal. "I need you to be ready. Most of it's going to be flown over a few days after we get there, but we'll still be there. Please don't make this any harder than it already is."

"I don't want to leave," she said, her voice stiff, and her mother sighed.

"I know," she said.

"Then why are you making me?" she asked, and she heard another sigh in response.

"Because, Elizabeth Swift," the older woman said firmly, "I know this will be best for the both of us, and I know that you will, too – someday. Good night."

She hated how parents used that 'I'm older and therefore know better than you so ha!' card. It always made her feel little.

– W –

She hadn't had a chance to go back to the diary at all during those two weeks since the night she found it. Her mother kept her busy – maybe she thought that if she was busy enough she wouldn't remember how much she hated her? Parent psychology was weird; it was probably something along those lines.

That brought her here, to the airport, waiting for a delayed flight to the States. The plastic chairs were uncomfortable, the crying babies were annoying, and she really didn't like the way that kid with the lollipop was staring at her. She made a mental note not to get too close; getting too close was one mishap away from that lolli being shoved into her hair.

Her mother was chatting amicably with an older couple next to their seats; she seemed so excited about the flight. Maybe she was just excited to finally be going home after so many years away. Someone had told her once that your heart always yearns for your roots. Maybe it was true.

She sighed as she sank back into the hard, orange plastic. She checked her watch and sighed again; the delay was taking much longer than she would have liked. While her mother continued chatting, she pulled her burgundy satchel into her lap and began rummaging through it for the old diary. If she was lucky, she'd be able to make more of a dent in it while they waited for their flight. She hadn't breathed a word of it to her mum, but the story had been driving her crazy these past two weeks. Well…more like not being able to finish the story, but in essence it was still the story.

Because really, she needed to know the ending. Even if this Yucie girl was long gone, something told Ellie that – if Yucie got a happy ending – she would, too.

_I told the others today. We were walking home from the Academy – our final day of classes! – and I just told them. I knew I couldn't put it off any longer, that the day I have to leave was creeping ever closer, but I still felt horrible doing it. Gurenda screamed and raged and Kokoru cried. Erumina – impassive, glorious Erumina! – looked as torn as I felt. She's changed so much through all this – she's opened up so much. Before, she would always seem so robotic. At times I would think Barizan would feel more than her, and he's made of metal! But now she's as open as the rest of us, but still so reserved. And Beth…poor Beth, you would think I'd have just stabbed her. I tried to explain, even though I really know nothing of why this is happening or even what I'm expected to do, but in the end I just couldn't find the words._

_So I hugged her. I hugged all of them, but I hugged her first and longest. I squeezed her as hard as I could as I started crying again, and I told her that I would fight it. I wouldn't abandon her or any of them, not after everything we've been through._

_They're the closest to sisters I've ever had, and I don't see how the Queen can do this to us. She had been so torn after Arc and I returned from the Magical World with them. She kept apologizing like it was all her fault, even though it really wasn't (she had told us, and we believed her – she didn't know the Tiara would kill them until the very end, when we found out). And now, despite all that grief and guilt, she's doing it all over again._

_No one's dying, not this time around, but isn't separating us like this just the same?_

Ellie sucked in a breath at the words.

She didn't understand any of the parts about this 'Tiara' (how in the world could a tiara kill anyone?), but whatever it was seemed crucially important. It had put these girls through something that had formed an unbreakable bond between them, one that was being threatened by the queen.

She felt impossibly close to Yucie just then. She snuck a glance out of the corner of her eye at her mother, who was laughing with the woman beside her. She could almost see her as the Queen right now, as she thought of Sarah and Finny and Gwen. She would give anything to be at the local café with them right now, drinking tea and gossiping about Tommy Owens, that gorgeous senior in their Ancient Civilizations class.

She flipped the page and smiled slightly. Compared to the past few entries, this one looked much more promising. The writing was still stiff and jagged, but there were no tears blotching up the letters.

_An arranged marriage._

_That's what this whole thing has been about from the very beginning, and Queen Erlsel only bothered to tell me today – two days before I leave. Apparently, she's been fighting with this country for years now, though open hostilities had laxed in the past year or so due to the whole Platina Princess ordeal. Apparently they had hoped the Princess would come from their land, and in order to ensure that they had stopped attacking. Now that I'm selected and obviously not of their people, they're demanding I marry their prince. She said it's the only way to stop a full-blown war._

_And she just had to say that, didn't she? My status as a war orphan would just make me cave when she mentioned the stakes, wouldn't it? No, my Queen, it most certainly will not! I don't want a war any more than you do, but I do not want to marry some guy I don't even know, either! Don't you remember your son? That idiot that nearly died just a few months ago? I'm supposed to be marrying him!_

_Of course, Arc isn't saying anything. He's right across from me the whole time she's explaining all this, with that horrible mask he throws on whenever he has to act all princely. Save the country, lose the girl. Is that how this is playing out, then? Fine. If he doesn't care enough to fight, I will go. Maybe that prince will be man enough to stand up for me._

_I cornered him today. I trapped him in the gardens and forced him to talk to me, but it wasn't Arc I was talking to, was it? It was Prince Aero. Prince Bloody Aero, that horrible man who would sacrifice his heart for his country, consequences be damned._

_I feel so horrible for how I spoke to him, but at the time it seemed like the best way to go. Maybe it was. I don't know. I yelled at him and cried and even slapped him, but he just looked at me with those impassive eyes. And I couldn't take it any more. I kept yelling, demanding to know why he didn't do anything. Most of what I said is all blurs now, but I remember asking him if everything he ever said – ever did – had been a lie, and if he really hated me as much as he was acting._

_And I think that's what did it – what finally broke him. The mask slipped just a bit, and it was Arc looking at me, not Prince Aero. He looked so tortured, so much like he was living his own personal hell that I almost felt bad for shouting. And I could tell, from the way his hands twitched and the way he stepped towards me, that he wanted to grab me. And after so many weeks of him avoiding me, I wanted him to so badly._

_And that's when he told me, right then and there, that I was a "damned fool who is so caught up in her own misery that she can't notice what's going on around her". And he told me he did love me, and that if there was any way around it he would fight, but that he knows this is what's best. It's his duty to his people to protect them, and if he has to lose me to preserve thousands then he'd do it without ever looking back._

_And this is where I started to hate myself, where I realized how cruel I could really be._

_I remember exactly what I told him. I looked him dead in the eye (so much easier to do now that I'm almost as tall as him), and I told him as evenly as I could, "Giving me up for your people isn't love, Prince Aero. When Magazerent told me to choose between you or my friends I wouldn't, because I love you both so very much. I wouldn't kill them to save you, and I wouldn't save them to kill you. I convinced myself that there was another way, and I was willing to fight for it. If you won't even make the same decision for me, or at least consider it, how can I honestly believe you love me?"_

_And no, I couldn't stop there. I'm not smart enough for that. I never was._

"_I hate you," I told him, sounding so sure of myself in the heat of the moment, "I hate you, and right now I wish Magazerent was still alive so she could erase any memory of you from my mind."_

_It was Arc I was speaking to, and it was Arc who reacted to my words. The royal mask had slipped, and it was the only time I could ever think of that I wished it hadn't. It was Arc looking at me like I had just thrown my fist into his gut, or that I had ripped his heart out with my bare hands. It was Arc whose face darkened as he looked down, and it was Arc that I walked out on._

_And the worst part, even worse than what I told him? I can't decide who I hate more: him, for making me say it, or me, for actually meaning it._

"I'm going to go get a cuppa," Ellie's mother said, snapping her out of her reading. She looked up at her as her mother grinned at her. "Would you like one, El?"

"Uh…sure," she said, slightly confused. Her mother returned a short while later with two of those Styrofoam travel cups that always make things taste funny.

"I put some honey in it for you," she said, and Ellie gratefully took the cup. "Look, El…I'm sorry."

"What?" she asked, looking at her, and her mother shrugged.

"I guess I haven't really said that yet, have I? I've been so caught up in my own excitement…but I am, El," she said. "And you need to know that, if I had any reason to think this wasn't for the best, I'd never make us leave. But I think it will be, so I'm asking you to trust me. And if that doesn't work, would you be more willing to give it a try if I promised you you could come back during summers and holidays to stay with Gran?"

She looked at her and bit her lip, taking a moment before asking, "You mean it?"

"Yes," she said, sipping her tea. Ellie nodded, smiling slightly.

"Thanks, Mum," she said. Her mother reached over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I know I haven't made this the easiest on you, but…I know we can work through it, together," she said, and Ellie returned the hug with all the gusto she could muster.

"I love you, Mum," she said, and her mother smiled.

"I love you, too, baby girl," she said, kissing her hair. "I love you, too."

They sat there for a while, talking and laughing and catching up on everything they had missed in the six weeks since Ellie had stopped talking to her. They laughed about the new PM's haircut and the Spice Girls' reunion tour, and her mother hugged her as she cried about James, her boy…ex-boyfriend, as it were.

She had decided Arc was James. She had told him the same night her mother had told her about the move, but he had been…well, less than sympathetic is putting it nicely. It almost had seemed like he didn't care, and that had hurt. She had thought he liked her, possibly as much as she liked him. He had jumped at the chance of a non-exclusive relationship, though, and that was when she knew she should call it quits. Finny had sat with her as she cried not long after that, calling Sarah and Gwen for an immediate 'Heartbreak Intervention'. They were common occurrences by now, what with how many boyfriends Sarah had every month. (She called it the curse of being 'Busty and Blonde and Beautiful to Boot' – they called it the curse of being loose.)

She still had them, though – and she knew she always would. They had been friends since diapers, and she knew nothing would change that. Maybe that was another reason she could relate to Yucie so well; in Gurenda, Erumina, Kokoru, and Beth she saw her own friends, and thanks to her mother she knew just how hard it was to leave them behind. At least her mother had promised her she could spend vacations at her Gran's, ensuring she'd see them again; Queen Erlsel hadn't even given Yucie that.

When Ellie decided she had no more tears left to cry, her mother patted her shoulder and gestured to her book.

"You just finish up what you were reading, dear. I'll go see how much longer the delay will be," she said before getting up to leave. Ellie nodded and looked back at the pages, suddenly a bit happier than she was before.

It felt good to have her mum back.

_Oh, I can tell I'm going to have trouble reading this later. The road is so bumpy, and the driver is horrible (no, they wouldn't even let me bring my own driver – I have to use _theirs_, because it's _their_ kingdom I'm joining and why remember Erlsel when I could be a _Domivinian_? Yes – a Domivinian! Already I hate it. It's long and horrible and it just doesn't sound nice. At least 'Erlsel' has that nice little ring to it. Domivin sounds blood-thirsty and cruel._

_Oh, no – I'm not biased. I'm not judging them at all by prior actions. But…_

_There's only one time I've ever cried harder than I did this morning. Everyone was there – my friends, Papa and Cube, Queen Erlsel and Frederik…even Arc. And it was Arc, I knew; Prince Aero wouldn't show up looking like a kicked puppy. And he certainly wouldn't wear that goofy old hat._

_I said goodbye to Papa first, and he told me he'd find a way to visit. He told me it wouldn't be goodbye, and then the idiot guard sitting across from me (yes, sir, please look at my personal writings and realize I mean YOU!) told me that, as the future queen of Domivin, I would not be permitted to deal with any Erlselians unless it was through diplomatic business, and even then all communication was limited to couriers. I ask you, what is the purpose of a diplomatic arranged marriage if you're still not going to talk to the country you're marrying into? Isn't the reason I'm marrying this idiot because they want peace between our kingdoms? How do they expect peace if I'm not even permitted to see my family?_

_I loved Gurenda so much then, though. The guard's eye is really starting to smart where she punched him (for once I'm truly grateful she's the princess of the Demon World!). I bet he won't forget he shouldn't cross her any time soon! As soon as he said it, Gurenda's fist was thrown into his eye and she was yelling at him that if they even thought for a second of keeping me away she'd bring all the armies of Hell against them, and then Beth said the armies of Hell would be a blessing compared to what the Fairy World would do to them, and then Erumina – yes, Erumina! – said that if they insisted upon it she would send Heaven's armies as well, and even Kokoru threw in the armies of the Spirit World!_

_Yes, that's right – the armies of four worlds ready to tear down Domivin just to rescue me from a pompous prince!_

_But…as happy as I am about their support (I can't even begin to express how much I'll miss them!), any warmth caused by their gesture was eliminated when Arc remained silent. When the guard told me it was time to leave ("and it's such a very long journey, so we should really leave now"), I was talking to Queen Erlsel. I don't really blame her for any of this any more; I realize that she's just doing her duty as queen. But…no, I don't blame her. I blame Arc. But that's…_

_I hugged her and cried, and I told her I didn't hate her for this whole mess. She told me I should, and – and I could laugh about this, even now – I grabbed her hands and made her promise me that she would stop blaming herself for everything. When she tried to deny it, I hugged her again and told her she's been wonderful through everything, and that I understood she was just doing her duty and she needs to, too. I told her she couldn't live her life in regrets, and then – and why I did this I'll never know; maybe to make Arc jealous? – I told her that I might end up falling head over heels for this Prince Henrik of Domivin, and who knows? Maybe we'll be a soul match or something! (Oh you should have seen Arc's scowl when I said that!)_

_And then it was Frederik, and he actually hugged me first! He told me to write him the minute they did anything horrible, and that – despite his duties to "that fool son of hers" (yes, he actually called Arc that!) – he'd be there in a heartbeat. I'm going to miss Frederik so much – he's the best guard anyone could ever ask for, if they ever needed a guard._

_I didn't say goodbye to Arc. I didn't even look at him, and I still remember Gurenda's gasp as I just walked straight past him and into this suffocating carriage. I could see him, from the window, with his face down and shadowed by that brown cap. I want to say I saw him crying, but I know that was my own stupid mind. Arc doesn't cry, and certainly not for me. I_

_But no, no more thoughts of stupid Arc and his stupid self! I'm beginning a new life today. A new life as the wife – er, soon-to-be-wife – of Prince Henrik of Domivin! Now if only I could convince myself that that's a good thing…_

_But really, this carriage is horrible. I hope "a very long way" isn't really that far. I don't think I can last long in here with this idiot and the heat._

_Three months. _THREE MONTHS.

_And has he opened up at all? Oh, no – I still don't even know his name! I've made better friends with brooms! (And that's a true story, too, thanks to Gurenda.)_

_The guard won't talk to me, other than to bark (and yes, he does bark – like a tiny, high-pitched dog!) orders at me or status updates on the trip. "Time for sleep! You must look your best from Prince Henrik!" "We shall be staying here, Princess – do not speak to anyone!" "No, you mustn't go there – it's forbidden!" If he tells me one more thing I'll_

"_Stop writing, Princess! You're always writing – it's so improper!"_

_Oh…I wish I could turn him to cinders!_

_The driver won't speak to me, either – I think the guard has him scared. He has everyone scared, but honestly! You should see how the driver looks at him! It's like he stole his cat or something!_

_And you know what? I think he's doing it on purpose. I think he's making us go the extra-long way to a long way away just to drive me crazy! That must be it – he wants me to go stark raving mad before we reach Domivin, and then they won't have any reason to hold up this peace treaty of a marriage, and then they can just attack Erlsel whenever they_

_He took my book. HE TOOK MY BOOK!_

_What kind of man steals a girl's diary? What kind of person does that? Why do I have to go to a country where they breed people who steal people's diaries?_

"_You are being very seditious, Princess! I won't have you writing treason against your future husband!"_

_But was it Prince Henrik I was writing about? No, it was you! You, you book thief! I bet he's a dirty old man that just gets his jollies from rea_

Ellie had to bite her lip to keep from laughing; most of the other people around them were much louder and nosier than she had been, but she still didn't want to disturb them. She knew how loud her laughing could be.

She was beginning to think of Yucie as a spitfire with a sparking temper, and part of her couldn't wait to see what she'd do to this guard.

She whispered a hurried "I'm fine." to her mother, who was giving her a concerned look, and went back to the book.

_And thus starts my bout of writing only when he sleeps, which isn't very often. I hate him. I hate him more than I hate Arc. I hate him more than I hate the Eternal Tiara, and I didn't even think that was possible!_

_He'll probably realize it's missing in the morning, but I've actually managed to sneak a few talks with the driver. The driver's actually somewhat decent, and he's been helping me get this book back._

_And now I'm crying again. The minute I think I've stopped all tears dealing with Arc, I make one obscure reference and there they are again. I…I miss him. If I was home, right now, and this was any other problem we were working through, he'd be holding me. He'd be brushing my hair and rubbing my back and telling me that everything will be ok in the end. He would kiss me and tell me that we'd get through it together, because we conquered the world and we can conquer it still._

_I thought the hardest thing I'd ever have to do was live my life looking like I was ten, even when I was sixty. Then I had to fight Diabolos, and Arc was injured, and I was made Platina Princess and told that whatever wish I made – to grow or to save Arc – would cause my friends to die, and I thought that would be the hardest thing I'd ever have to do._

_I'm slowly realizing that the hardest thing I'll ever have to do is look at another man and pretend he's Arc, because I can't love Arc anymore even though every little bit of my soul yearns for him. I can pretend Henrik is my soul match, and I can pretend that whenever I look at him it'll be Arc looking back, but in my heart I know it won't be. If Henrik is anything like his guard (and I've learned that servants always reflect their masters), I know this won't be a good match, and I know I'll never be able to love him like I love Arc. I doubt I'll ever be able to love him at all._

_And if you were wondering? This entry marks the end of the fifth month of travel. The driver told me earlier today that it actually is much closer now, and that we should be there in as little as two weeks._

_If only they had let me bring Cube…who ever heard of a princess without her steward? At least then this trip would have at least been semi-decent!_

_My hands – no, my whole body! – are still shaking. Today goes down in history as the best day in my life ever. I know so many mothers who say the best day of their lives were the days their children were born, but I know this day will forever be so much more wonderful, because without today I'd have no children. And even if I did, they'd be snooty little Domivinian children who walk around like my idiot guard (the "Pompous Ass" as Arc likes to call him - or am I getting ahead of myself?)._

_We finally arrived at the palace today. After five months, two weeks, six days, eight hours, and forty-two minutes we arrived at the Palace of Domivin. And the guard made me wait another hour in the carriage, making sure I looked as presentable as possible (honestly, in the carriage? Give me a decent washroom and – even better – a wardrobe change, and then I'll look presentable!), and then he finally said I could go in. Of course, he seemed very flustered, though he wouldn't breathe a word of it to me. Breathed it to everybody else, though (mostly himself in mutters) – apparently Prince Henrik wouldn't let him into the throne room until I was with him. (And I thought Gurenda had a mouth! You should have heard the things coming from this man – about his own prince! And he called _me_ seditious!)_

_Well, we finally got to the throne room. And really, the place was so dreary. All black stone and dark gray, and their tapestries were the worst shades of midnight! But we got to the throne room, and I wouldn't look anywhere but this interesting little patch of stained gray on the wall to the side. I wouldn't look at this man daring to rip me from my family – I would never grant him that courtesy. I just threw on the angriest, most defiant face I could manage, and I stared at the wall._

_And that's when my guard started spluttering and making demands, asking Prince Henrik what he had done with Prince Henrik. Well, I was almost interested enough to look, but I figured the prince just didn't look the same after what had to be a good year of travel on the guard's part. So I kept staring at my little patch of wall, and already I was wondering how much redecorating they would let me do if they were going to force me to live here (I was really starting to miss the marble halls of Erlsel's palace)._

"_Really, not even looking at your betrothed? Honestly, Princess – that's just rude."_

_That's what made me look at him. Ignore the idiot guard and his spluttering. Ignore the shouts of protest and denial he was making. I looked at the throne, and Arc was sitting there, sprawled out like he owned the place. And did he ever look out of place, in those tattered old brown clothes of his! (I bet the spurs on his boots did a nice number on that throne, too!) He had his head propped up in his hand, and the other one was just twirling a silver crown around like it was a discus. And that smirk he was wearing! Oh, I could have slapped him just for that! And I know he must have been fighting a laugh, because I know I had to have looked like a fish there. No one had to tell me that for me to know my jaw must have hit the floor. And there was who could have only been Prince Henrik, bound and gagged off to the side of the throne with Frederik standing behind him. (He was throwing quite the fit, too – and did I mention how he looked a good five years my junior?)_

_And I obviously wasn't being quick enough about any kind of reaction, but really, how could I have been? Arc was there, in Domivin, and he had arrived before us! And did I mention that he wasn't even supposed to be there? That, as far as I knew, we were still furious with each other and hating each other and so many other things that would just keep him as far away as possible?_

_He hopped up off that throne and walked right over to me with this wonderfully determined face, and I swear, it was a good thing he was holding me tight when he grabbed me and twirled me around, because I knew my legs would've given way if he hadn't been. But he set me down and held me close, and he suddenly looked so very serious that I didn't know what to expect._

"_This is what's going to happen, Princess," he told me, and I remember I just looked at him like I was a daft, dumb idiot – I couldn't wrap my mind around any of it, and I still can't believe it all happened. "You're going to come back to Erlsel with Frederik and me, and we're getting married. And this isn't a proposal, because 'proposal' implies that I'm asking – and I'm not asking."_

_That had to be the most romantic unromantic way he could have proposed. And even now, while I'm holed up in my room just down the hall from his in Erlsel's palace (why didn't that idiot guard of Prince Henrik's think of portals? Arc arrived in Domivin a day after we left Erlsel!), I still can't believe this is all real. No one but Queen Erlsel (and Arc and Frederik, of course!) knows I'm back yet, but we're going to tell them tomorrow. And did I mention I'm going to marry Arc? Not Prince Henrik? I don't think I've stopped smiling since this morning, and I know I should stop (my face is starting to hurt!), but I just can't! I'm back home! With Arc! And we're getting married!_

_And now I should really stop writing, since he's peeking over my shoulder and nudging me and telling me to put the book down, so I guess I should oblige. Even though he totally doesn't deserve it – really, Arc? You arrived in Domivin _a day after we left Erlsel_? And you didn't think of, oh, I don't know, maybe opening another portal closer to where would be on the road to save me from five months, two weeks, six days, eight hours, and forty-two minutes of hell with that idiot guard? (And please stop poking me, or I'll take even longer to close this up!)_

_So that's it, really. Life is back to how it should be – and did I mention how Domivin isn't threatening Erlsel anymore? After Arc scared the living daylights out of Prince Henrik – OK FINE I'M STOPPING. Happy now?_

_P.s.: Thank you, Arc. I'm sure you've figured out by now that I don't really hate you? (Much?)_

And this time, Ellie couldn't stop her laughing. Her mother looked back to her, and she just gave her a grin. She held up the book, laughter still bubbling over.

"You really ought to read this sometime," she said. "It's great."

"Is that Yucie's diary?" her mother asked, and Ellie raised a brow.

"You know what it is?" she asked, and her mother nodded.

"Oh, yes. It was one of your father's favorites. Your Gran used to read it to him before he'd go to bed, and she'd tell him that he'd know he'd found his girl when he was willing to usurp a throne for her," she said, and Ellie laughed all the louder.

"_Dad_? An usurper? No way!" she laughed. Her mother patted her shoulder as the intercoms crackled to life, calling their flight.

"Come on, baby girl," she said. "It's time to go. Are you sure you'll be ok with this?"

Ellie took a moment – just one moment – to look at the book in her hands before she nodded.

"Yeah, I think I will be," she said, grinning. England would be England and Pennsylvania would be Pennsylvania, but no matter where she was she would always be Ellie Swift, and maybe – if she could remember that – everything would be perfectly fine.

**A.n.:** _Ho'boy that was fun. xD It all started with that proposal line of Arc's (and wow, I so saw him as Harrison Ford when I was re-reading this…), and then my lovely little plunnies started going mad until I wrote it. Then I got Yucie's memory-wipe line, and they really made me sit down and write it. Candy-chan said a little bit ago about how the characters are the ones who really write the stories, and this one just proved it for me; I don't think I wrote any of this, except a few bits where I struggled with Ellie ('cause really, this Ellie girl just doesn't like me), but Yucie loved stepping in and going "It's my dang story and I'll be the one to tell it, thank you very much."_

_El got a bit easier the second time 'round, though, after I rewrote all her scenes. Hopefully it'll still go together pretty ok. If it's a bit disjointed, I sincerely apologize, but I'm still happy with it. (P.s.: Dauphin is not really a Podunk; in fact, I'd have you all know that it's a lovely place you should all visit if ever given the chance. The mountains aren't as great as Virginia, but they're still amazing. (Most of Mum's family is from the Harrisburg/Dauphin area, so we've been up there quite a few times.) Just thought I should clear that up before any Dauphiners read this and start yelling at me.)_


	4. You Almost Died

**Title:** "You Almost Died"

**Author:** Wish Wielder

**Fandom:** Puchi Puri Yucie

**Pairing / Character Focus:** Arc x Yucie

**Challenge:** 33 Proposals

**Theme / Prompt:** #27 (Scared; scarred)

**Word Count:** 2,649

**Rating:** T / PG-13

**Summary:** It isn't the first time she's had nightmares, and it isn't the first time they've dealt with the _what if?_ of his death.

**Notes:** Post-series. Spoilers for ep23-26.

**Disclaimer:** "Puchi Puri Yucie" and all respective properties are © Takami Akai. Megan D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Puchi Puri Yucie".

_**"You Almost Died"**_

_Her breath hitches in her throat as she sees the root shooting towards her. Her mind screams at her to run, but the command doesn't seem to reach her legs. She's frozen, watching terrified as her death approaches. She knows it now: she won't survive this battle. She won't get to see the Fairy World returned to its former beauty. She won't get to see Beth truly happy again. She won't get to know what it's like to be a proper adult. She won't get to thank Arc for that day so long ago. She won't get to thank Arc for coming to help today._

_She won't get to see Arc ever again._

_She wants to close her eyes, to block out the scene unraveling before her. She knows she'll die, but she doesn't want to accept it. She doesn't want to see it happen. She doesn't want to see Diabolos win. She can't, though - her eyes, just like her legs and the arms that won't even move to block the root, are frozen. She can't turn away or block it out - it's coming, and all she can do is watch._

_Her breath finally comes, rushing from her in a gasp as something snakes about her middle, jerking her away from the root that's suddenly split in two. Her eyes sting as they widen even more, and she wants to scream as she sees the familiar brown cloak fanning around her. The arm releases her and she stumbles away, turning to see Arc standing behind her. He watches her, looking her over with an unreadable expression - is he concerned, angry? She can't tell, and it scares her._

_"Arc, you.." she whispers, her voice nearly impossible to work. He gives her a smile, a quiet gesture of encouragement, but she sees him wince and grab for his shoulder._

_"Are you ok?!" she asks, stepping towards him. He glances back at her, and for a moment he's completely unguarded. She can read him like a book, and that scares her, too. He's hurt, but he'll lie - he doesn't want her worrying about him. He doesn't want her distracted._

_That, she can't help but think, is selfish on his part - and if he wasn't already hurt, she'd probably hit him._

_"It's...just a scratch," he tells her, and she frowns. He's lying - doesn't he know it? Can't he feel the rot spreading from his arm and taking over his body? Can't he feel it killing him?_

_Wait...killing him?_

_Her eyes shoot open as he vanishes, and before she can fully realize what's happened she's screaming for him, fighting against the Queen as she tries to get to his side. She can't see him, but she sees the violet-tinged gas hovering over the crowd of physicians and magicians; she hears the tortured screams tearing through him. She knows he's dying even before the man approaches the Queen. She knows he will die if she fails to become the Platina Princess._

_It takes a split second, but already she knows that she will and exactly what her wish will be. If he lives, she doesn't have to be an adult. If he lives, she'll be happy as a child - if he lives. _If_ he lives._

_But the scene changes again, and suddenly she's in that pink dress, the Eternal Tiara sparkling on her brow. She's walking into the room, but it's not right - it's not how it was, how it should be. She remembers everything, and Frederik was there before - Frederik and that maid and the doctor._

_It's empty and dark, cold - and she knows. She's too late. She wouldn't accept the Tiara, and when it was forced on her...she wasted her time. Arc died while she was in the Magical World, and it's all her fault._

_NO._

_This isn't how it should be. She makes it - she loses her friends, but she saves him - and then they get the others back. It's already played out, and this wasn't how it happened. Arc didn't die. Arc didn't die. Arc didn't..._

"...die!"

She blinks, her eyes wide and terrified as she looks around her room. Same four walls. A midnight sky outside her window, the moon glinting mysteriously over the mountains. She kicks off the covers and throws her legs over the side, gasping at the shock of cold that hits her in the air and the floor. She stumbles to the window and looks out, scanning the snowy landscape for any sign of change. It's the same as it was just hours ago, when she had gone to bed. She looks down at herself, frowning at the eighteen-year-old body that greets her. Same her.

It was just a dream, but she can't shake the tingle of dread creeping down her spine. She spots the Wind Clow Handkerchief on her desk, and though she knows it's reckless she finds herself moving to her wardrobe. _It's not that late_, she tells herself. _No one will ever even know._

_I just have to make sure._

And so she finds herself out in the night air, a thick brown cloak wrapped tightly around her as the Hankie takes her towards the city. She shivers against the wind, whipping even more furiously against her in her flight, but it won't deter her. She has to know. She has to be sure.

She's surprised to find him on the balcony when she arrives, but he's not surprised to see her. It isn't the first time she's had nightmares, and it isn't the first time they've dealt with the _what if?_ of his death. The Hankie hovers by the rail, and she fidgets as he watches her. She can't look at him, though that's the only reason she even came in the first place. She tries to think of an excuse, but his arms are already around her and holding her close, and she knows she doesn't need one. He understands, and maybe he's seen it, too - if he hadn't reached her in time, if it had been her with the parasitic wound.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, but he shakes his head. His hair tickles her nose, but she's too shaken to laugh; she still sees him in her mind, lying on that bed - screaming and dead, a horrifying mix of the two burned behind her eyes and in her ears.

"Inside," he says, and her eyes close as the familiarity of his voice covers her like a comforting blanket. "You're freezing, Forehead."

"I'm sorry," she whispers again, but still he just shakes his head - there's nothing to apologize for, and he wants her to know it. He pauses, just long enough for the Hankie to shrink and fall into his waiting hand, before he takes her back into his room. There fire's already blazing, and she wonders if he somehow knew she was coming. Or maybe it had been one of those nights for him, too. Maybe he needed her just as much as she needed him.

He sets her on a chair, but she clings to his arms as he moves away. He stops and smiles, but she can't return the gesture. He presses his lips to her forehead, the kiss devoid of its usual mirth and instead just full of love and peace, and this time she lets go. He's back within moments, a thick blue blanket in his arms. He nudges her, and she scoots over; he's already draped the blanket over her shoulders before he takes a seat. He hasn't even settled back before she's curled against him, her face buried in his chest. She feels his arms wrap around her, and finally she can't take it anymore - she sobs against him, releasing the fear and confusion and hurt that's lingered as a backwards shadow ever since the Final Scene.

She doesn't know what she's crying for; everything is fine and as it should be. She doesn't know why she can't let go of everything that's happened, of everything that almost happened and everything that didn't happen. She doesn't know why she can't just move on and embrace life completely as it is now. The others have, and for the most part so has she.

But then she'll get comfortable, and the nightmares will return. Arc dead. The Fairy World destroyed. Her friends erased from existence. The Great Magician and her red eyes, glaring at her as she forces her to choose. Magazerent and her blue eyes, crying for her as she tells her her friends will never return.

"It's ok," he whispers into her ear, and a chill races down her spine as she feels his hand rub up and down her back. _But it's not_, she wants to say, but only sobs come out. Gasped breaths and clawing panic, and she doesn't know why he can't understand - why can't any of them understand? They all almost died - because of _her_.

"Why don't you hate me?" she asks, and for a moment she doesn't realize she has said it aloud. But his arms tense around her, and she curls in on herself as his hands fist in her tunic. She expects him to push her away, to send her home without another word - but he doesn't. The rational part of her mind, so drowned out by the guilt and the tears, whispers that he never could.

"Yucie," he says, but she just shrinks smaller. He puts a hand under her chin, trying to pull her head up. She won't let him; again she finds she can't look at him. She knows what she'll see - sorrow and concern and comfort - and she knows she doesn't deserve it. She knows she can't face it. "_Yucie._"

"No," she gasps, shaking her head against his chest.

"Look at me," he says, quietly - a silent plea that sounds so strong yet nearly broken in her ears. And she acquiesces, though she still refuses to look at him as he lifts her head. "Yucie..."

She frowns at the exasperated sigh, and she glances up at him. He sighs again and pulls her close, burying his head against her neck as he crushes her to him. Her hands fist against his shirt, that familiar chill making her shiver as he presses his lips to her skin.

"I could never hate you, Yucie," he says, his voice muffled.

"You should," she says, and he bumps his head against hers.

"Don't be a fool," he says, and she bites her lip against the smile. She wants to believe him, but again she closes her eyes and sees him lying there, caught by something not even the Tiara could save him from, and she can't.

"_I killed you_," she says rather forcibly, and she feels him push her back. But before she can think that he's finally come to his senses, he again turns her head to him, brushing his hand against her cheek.

"You saved me," he says, and when she goes to argue he kisses her, stealing her breath and logic in one fell swoop. He pulls back and rubs his thumb under her eye, wiping away the tears that refuse to stop falling. "You saved all of us."

"But you could all have died just as easily," she says, shaking her head. He smiles at her, and she frowns. "It's true, Arc - don't look at me like that!"

"Like what?" he asks, his smile curling into a smirk. She looks down, her frown turning into a pout. Why is he always so difficult?

"Like I'm crazy for even thinking it," she mutters, and she glances at him as he kisses her cheek.

"You _are_ crazy, Forehead," he says, and she feels her eyebrows raise at him. He chuckles and pulls her to him again, holding her close as he settles back in the chair. "But not for this. After everything that happened, it's not surprising you still have nightmares. But that's all they are, Yucie - nightmares. You made it back in time, I didn't die, you got the others back - you even gave the Great Magician a little bit of peace. So see? It all worked out in the end. You don't have to torture yourself with thoughts of how it could be different because it's _not_ different."

"I was so scared, Arc," she whispers, as if that answers everything. He nods, and she closes her eyes as the gentle _b-bump-b-bump_ of his heart washes over her. She feels him press his lips against her hair, and nuzzles her head closer to him.

"You don't have to be - not anymore," he says. "We're all ok now."

"I'm sorry I just showed up like this," she mumbles, and she can feel sleep clouding her thoughts. Her terror of earlier is nearly forgotten in this little cocoon, so safe and warm wrapped up with him like this.

"When are you going to realize that you have nothing to be sorry for?" he asks with a sigh, and she can almost hear the smile in his voice. She gives a sleepy shrug, and a quiet laugh fills her ears. "Still, can't wait for a few months from now. These nightmares of yours will be a lot easier when you don't have to sneak out in the middle of the night to come see me. Gunberd's going to be upset, you know."

"Why a few months?" she asks, frowning as she fails to realize the implications of what he has said. She doesn't want to think about her father, not now; she knows he'll know where she is and why. It isn't the first time she's had the nightmares.

"Well, we'll be married by then," he says, and her eyes snap open. She lifts her head and looks at him, her jaw loose, and he grins at her. He looks too sneaky, too sly for her liking. "Won't we?"

"I...you...we...bwuh?" she asks, and he laughs as he leans up, kissing her forehead. It's back to the mocking, and a part of her warms at the familiarity. Somehow, he's made it better - just like he always does.

"You look like a lobster, Forehead," he grins, and she puffs out her cheeks in a pout. He laughs and pokes her stomach, and she turns her head away as his eyes glance up at her. "You are marrying me, aren't you, Forehead?"

She doesn't answer, but they both already know what she'd say. She glances back at him as his hand sneaks along her waist and around her back, and she turns and plops down on his lap again. She cuddles into his side and smiles as his arms wrap the blanket around her, locking in the warmth against the chill that has slipped past the fading fire.

"Maybe," she says, and she glances up at him. "Are you finally asking?"

"Maybe," he replies, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She laughs and slaps his arm, and he grins and gives her a squeeze. "Fine, yes. Yes, I am asking. Will you marry me, Forehead?"

"Shut up, Arc," she mumbles, laying her head back against his chest as her eyes droop closed. He nudges her, but the sleep has already claimed her as its own. He smiles and shakes his head, again kissing her forehead before settling back into the chair. It's not the first night they've ended up like this, and he can only smile as he knows it won't be the last.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," he whispers to her, and his smile warms as he sees her lips curl in a grin. He brushes some hair behind her ear and settles for watching her sleep, comforted by her just being there. 'I'll definitely take that as a yes.'

**A.n.:** _...oh man, curse Time Lord biology. I'm writing out the line about Arc's heart and I almost put '_the gentle _b-bump-b-b-bump _of his hearts'_. Dx Apologies for this being so late - I thought my deadline was the 12th, not the 3rd. (I'm a horrible mod, I know...) These are going back into regular circulation, though; my PPY muse has officially been partially released from the aliens (ok, more like said aliens have been threatened with chainsaws...), so hopefully more ideas will come for these._


End file.
